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MISS DOULTOFS ORCHIDS 



H Corners in Uwo Bets 



THE ACTING EDITION 



BY 



MARGARET CAMERON 



Copyright, 1910, by Samuel French 



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22616 



MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 

A Comedy in Two Acts. 

Cbaracters, 

Cecily Belknap. 
Bess Maynard. 
Polly Winslow. 
Owen Belknap. 
£ Gordon McAllister. 

Kenneth Moore, Belknap's Cousin. 



^ 



MISS MOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 



ACT I 

Morning 



Living room of Belknap's country house. A door on the 
right, leading to a veranda, is open. Other doors at the 
back and on the left lead respectively to the hall and 
the library. The room is charmingly furnished, easy- 
chairs and a multitude of cushions giving evidence of 
constant and familiar occupancy. A framed photo- 
graph of Owen stands on a table up L., which also 
contains books and magazines. 

Cecily Belknap, a smiling, vivacious, gracious young 
matron of twenty-five; is discovered sitting doze/ n L., 
in confidential chat with Bess Maynard, a spinster 
of thirty, whose mildly cynical point of view is indi- 
cated by a slightly satirical smile and contradicted by 
the quick sympathy of her glance. Both wear cot- 
ton morning gowns. Cecily is sewing and Bess 
holds an open book in her hand. 

Cecily (continuing co?iversation). And Polly de- 
clares she's going home next week. I hope she hasn't 
quarrelled with Ken, but I can't think of anything else 
that should send her off in this sudden fashion. 

Bess. I thought she was going to stay another 
month. 

Cecily. So did I, until this morning. I'm sure 
that was her intention when she came, and I can't 

3 



4 MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 

think of anything that can have happened except, as I 
say, she may have quarrelled with Ken. 

Bess {rising and going to door r.). Well, if she has 
there are symptoms of a reconciliation, for she has 
just appeared in the garden and he is racing down the 
walk to overtake her. 

Cecily {springing up to look out). Really ? Oh, 
good ! I do wish those two would make a match ! 

Bess {coining down r.). I wonder what there is in 
the early stages of matrimony that infects all women 
with the match-making microbe ? Nobody seems to 
escape. 

Cecily. It's because we want to see all our friends 
?s happy as we are. Bess {wistfully), aren't you ever 
going to marry ? 

Bess {cheerfully). Well, not until I'm asked, any- 
way. 

Cecily {coming down briskly). Oh, nonsense ! You've 
refused nearly every man you know ! I asked Gordon 
McAllister why he hadn't proposed to you 

Bess. Cecily ! 

Cecily {lightly). Oh, you know Gordon proposes to 
everybody ! He said that no man voluntarily bored a 
woman with repetitions, and that it was understood that 
all known forms of proposal had been exhausted upon 
you without effect. 

Bess {with dignity). Really, Cecily, you must not 

Cecily {airily). Now, don't mount your prancing 
steed in that fashion. At home it was perfectly under- 
stood that Gordon should propose to all the girls every 
summer. It was part of the programme for the season 
— and, I must say, he does 'it well ! We used to wonder, 
sometimes, what he'd do if one of us should accept 
him. I threatened to do it once, just for fun, but 
Owen came that summer, and I forgot it. 

Bess {drily). Then, Mr. McAllister is a sort of sen- 
timental reservoir, is he ? Always on tap ? 

Cecily. Exactly! come to think of it, Bess, I be- 
lieve you're the only unmarried woman he has ever 



MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 5 

known to whom he hasn't proposed. I wonder if it 
means anything ? 

Bess (crossing with a short laugh). Cecily, you are 
incorrigible 1 Oh, here comes Polly, 

Enter from the hall Polly Winslow, an ittipulsive, 
tender-eyed, radiafit girl of twenty-two, carrying a 
handful of letters. She is followed almost imme- 
diately by Owen Belknap, a tall, vigorous, well- 
knit man of thirty, and Gordon McAllister, a 
bachelor of thirty-eight, shrewd, genial, kindly. The 
men cat ry the morning papers. Owen sits, down 
l. Gordon joins Bess, c. 

Polly. The boy has just brought the mail. Here 
are two for you, Cecily, and three for me, and one for 
— Mr. Moore. 

Cecily (at window, calling). Ken ! Oh, Ken ! Here's 
a letter for you. 

(Kenneth Moore, an impulsive, good-natured, quick, 
boyish fellow of 'twenty-four, appears in the doorway 
leading to the veranda.) 

Kenneth. A letter for me ? Who from ? 

Cecily. How should we know ? (Kenneth takes the 
letter and opens it, with a murmured apology. He perches 
on arm of chair near Owen, down L. Cecily sighs as she 
reads her mail?) Oh, me 1 Another bridge party 1 That 
makes three next week 1 

Bess. That's because you're so incorrupt ibly ac- 
commodating, Cecily. I never play bridge. 

Gordon. Is that because you are never willing to 
expose your hand, Miss Maynard ? 

Bess. At least, I prefer to reserve the right to play 
it myself. 

Kenneth. I sny ! This letter's from Fred Grover. 

Polly (looking up from her letters, takes him up after 
" Grover''') Fred Grover? Isn't he the man who's in 
love with Marie Doulton ? 



6 MISS DOULTONS ORCHIDS. 

Bess (c.) {mischievously glancing at Owen and Ken- 
neth, down l. who frown uneasily). The man? Has 
anybody arrived at the distinction of being the man ? 
Did ever any man know Marie Doulton without falling 
in love with her ? 

Owen (aside to Ken.) Oh, what's the use of raking 
up old skeletons ? 

Cecily. Why, you knew her, didn't you, Owen, 
before she went on the stage? 

Owen (carelessly). Yes. Yes, of course ; I knew 
her. (Bess conceals a smile.) 

Cecily. There, Bess ! There's one man. 

Bess (sauntering down l.) Oh, well — she wasn't an 
actress then. That makes all the difference in the 
world, you know. (Owen and Kenneth throw her re- 
lieved glances) . 

Kenneth (aside to Bess, placing chair for her). 
You're a good fellow, Bess, if you are a tease ! (He 
oins Pollyj. 

Polly (half absorbed in her mail). They say Fred 
Grover has completely lost his heart. 

Kenneth. And his head as well, if I'm any judge. 
He says she's coming here 

Bess. Is she ? I didn't know that. 

Kenneth. Yes, she opens in town to-night, and 
Fred says 

Polly {taking him upon" Fred "). Is she as beauti- 
ful as people say ? I've never seen her. 

Bess. She's the most beautiful woman I ever saw — 
and the most fascinating. 

Gordon. You know her ? You're fond of her. 

Bess. I went to school with her 1 

Gordon (with enthusiasm). Let's all go to see her 1 

Owen (laughing). " The ruling passion"! It's no 
use, Gordon ! She's adamant. Wealth, position, titles, 
love, separately and in combination, have all failed to 
tempt her from the stage. 

Gordon. I suppose one may look at her ? Can she 
act? 



MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 7 

Kenneth. Can she act ! Good heavens, man, where 
have you lived ? She had New York literally at her 
feet last season. 

Gordon. That's no criterion. I ask you, can she 
act? 

Owen. She can ! All together, now ! ( Waves his 
arms.) 

Owen, Kenneth, Cecily, Bess (in unison, laughing). 
She — can ! 

Owen. Now, are you satisfied ? 

Gordon. Entirely. When shall we go to see her 1 
I'll get a box. 

Cecily. To-morrow night ? 

Gordon. To-morrow night. I'll 'phone for seats 
at once. 

Cecily. Don't get a stage-box, Gordon. One never 
sees anything but the audience, and the prompter in 
the flies. 

Gordon. You come and conduct the negotiations, 
then. 

Cecily. Very well. Come on, girls, we'll all go 
and superintend Gordon's order. 

(Bess, Cecily, Polly and Gordon troop out to the hall, 
laughing and chatting as they go.) 

Kenneth. Say, Owen, haven't you ever told Cecily 
about your affair with Marie ? 

Owen. Well — er — no. You see, it wouldn't do any 
particular good, and it might worry her, so 

Kenneth (thoughtfully). H'm. Yes, I suppose so. 
Well (laughing) Fred seems to be going the usual pace. 
He wants me to 

(As he says " He wants — " enter Cecily from the hall 
with a telegram, which she hands to Owen.) 

Cecily (as she enters, interrupting on " wants "). 
Here's a message for you, Owen, marked " rush." 
Owen. Wonder what's up now ? (He reads the tele- 



8 MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 

gram.) Oh, it's from that fellow up at Centerville. 
He's in hot water again You'll have to go up imme- 
diately, Ken. (Cecily goes out.) 

Kenneth. Confound him ! He's more trouble than 
he's worth. I wish you'd take that business away from 
him, Owen. 

Owen {looking at his watch). If you hurry you'll 
get the nine-thirty. 

Kenneth {resignedly). All right. I wanted to take 
Polly to the links to-day, too ! 

Owen. Well, run along ! You've only twelve min- 
utes to catch that train. 

Kenneth. All right. {He stops in the doorway) 
Oh, by Jove, I forget ! Owen, you'll be in town to-day. 
won't you ? Run into Bauer's and order the finest bunch 
of roses you can find— five dozen American Beauties— 
unless there are others more expensive. If there are 
get them— five dozen of them— and send them, with this 
card— {feels in his pockets) what the deuce did I do with 
the thing ? Oh ! here it is ! 
Owen. To Polly ? 

Kenneth. No; to Marie Doulton. There's the 
address {scribbling on the e?welop e in which the card is 
enclosed). Don't forget, on your life, or you'll get me 
into no end of a scrape ! {Tosses envelope to Owen and 
hurries to the door.) 

Owen. But I say, Ken! Hold on! You don't 
mean 

Kenneth {watch in hand). Yes, I do! Never mind 
the price Get them, sure ! Good-bye. {Runs o/f.) 
Owen {in doorway). But, Ken, hold on I 
Kenneth {outside). That's all right. I'll miss that 
train! (Owen turns the envelope over in his hands shak- 
ing his head dubiously). 

Enter Cecily, Polly, and Bess/™** the library. 

Cecily. Gordon's waiting for you to go to the links, 
Owen. ° ' 

Owen {shortly). Can't. I'm going to town. 



MISS DOULTONS ORCHIDS. 9 

Cecily. To town ? I thought you and Ken were 
going to stay over all day to-day. 

Owen. We were, but Ken's been called to Center- 
ville, and I've got to go to town to attend to — some 
business. (He looks distastefully at the envelope i?i his 
hand.) 

Cecily. Well, go and tell Gordon, then. He's wait- 
ing. (Owen goes out.) 

(Cecily, Polly and Bess dispose themselves comfortably 
in easy-chairs.) 

Cecily {to Polly;. Well, why you insist, all at 
once, upon going home, I don't seel 

Bess. Nor I. Isn't your bed good ? 

Cecily. Isn't the weather perfect ? 

Bess. Aren't we agreeable ? 

Cecily. And the men attentive ? Ken's your 
shadow, and I'm sure, Owen fairly dotes upon you! 

Polly. You don't seem to object. 

Cecily. Well, mercifully, I'm not jealous— of my 
friends. 

Polly {curiously). Are you jealous of anybody ? 

Cecily. No. That is— why, no, of course not! 
Jealousy and vulgarity are synonymous terms. I trust 
neither applies to me. 

Polly. I'm so glad you feel that way, dear ! It's 
so— common — to be jealous ! Besides, I can't imagine 
a girl marrying a man unless she could trust him abso- 
lutely, in the face of everything, can you ? 

Bess {in laughing ace us atio?i). Polly, you're in love 1 

Polly {much confused). Why, Bess, what nonsense 1 

Cecily (complacently). Well, of course, I never cared 
for anybody but Owen 

Bess (groaning). " The only man I ever loved ! " 

Cecily (indignantly). Well, he is! And nothing 
could ever make me the least little speck jealous of 
Owen. He honestly believes that I'm the only perfect 
woman in the world. You know, girls, it sometimes 
frightens me to think what might happen if he should 



10 MISS DOULTOH'S ORCHIDS. 

discover, some day, that I'm only an ordinary sort of 
person, after all. 

Polly {gravely nodding). I know. One wonders 
how long one can live up to it. 

Bess {mischievously). You know, I wonder if it isn't 
better not to marry at all, than to live in constant dread 
of falling off one's pedestal. 

Cecily. Oh, my, no ! 

Polly. Oh, no, Bess 1 

Cecily. It deprives one of so much, not to marry. 

Polly {impulsively). Girls {She stops as sud- 
denly as she began.) 

Cecily. Well ? 

Polly. Oh, nothing. 

Bess. Go on, Polly. It racks the nerves to be ex- 
cited that way, and then held in suspense. 

Polly {cofifused). No, I — it's nothing. I thought 
I'd say something — but I changed my mind. 

Cecily. I hope you were going to say that you've 
decided not to go home. Polly, why don't you stay ? 

Polly. Oh, I can't! There's so much to do! 

Bess. To do 1 What on earth have you to do ? If 
ever there was a lily of the field, it's Polly Winslow ! 

Polly. Oh, there's sewing, you know, and 

Cecily. Sewing 1 You ? 

Bess. My prophetic soul ! I knew it ! 

Polly {half- defiantly). What? 

Bess {rising) It's a trousseau ! You've been going 
and getting engaged 1 

Cecily {jumping up). Polly ! Have you ? 

Polly {rising). Y-y-yes, but (Cecily em- 
braces her rapturously ; Bess more calmly.) 

Cecily. When, Polly ? When ? 

Polly. Last night — in the garden. But how did 
you know, Bess ? 

Bess {mysteriously). I have missed my vocation. 
I should have been a detective — or a clairvoyant. The 
past explained and the future revealed {leans toward 
Polly and solemnly plucks a hair from her head) from 



MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 11 

a single hair of yonr head ! 

Polly. Yes, but Bess 1 

Bess {with exaggerated air of mystery). There are 
no secrets I cannot penetrate, no mysteries I cannot 
solve ! In addition to keen perceptive faculties and 
unfailing deductive ability, I am the possessor of occult 
powers of a high order. 

Polly {laughing). No, but really, how did you 
know ? We thought we had been so careful ! 

Bess {with affected solemnity). When a young per- 
son of your tastes, disposition, and general friskiness 
begins suddenly to talk down to her elders on the sub- 
jects of connubial confidence, the ideals of marriage, a 
life of unselfish surrender and kindred topics, it is safe 
to assume, without further evidence, that she is bend- 
ing her neck to the yoke. {Suddenly matter-of-fact.) 
And when, in addition to that, a crabbed and middle- 
aged spinster happens to be sitting quietly in the dark 
end of the veranda when the contracting parties are 

approaching the critical moment, and sees {pauses 

mischievously.) 

Polly (breathlessly). Bess, you weren't ! You 
didn't ! 

Bess. Well, at any rate, I didn't talk about it. I 
couldn't escape, but I shut my eyes and put my fingers 
in my ears. 

Polly. Did you, Bess ? Did you, really ? 

Bess. Indeed, I did ! I should hate to feel myself 
an accessory before the fact ! So I stopped my ears, 
shut my eyes and held my tongue. 

Polly (embraci?ig her). Oh, you dear ! (As an af- 
terthought.) Oh, Bess ! You were alone, weren't you ? 
Mr. McAllister wasn't with you ? 

Bess {turning away). How absurd ! You didn't 
hear any conversation, did you ? 

Polly. Oh, of course, if he'd been there, you would 
have been talking! Besides, you're not the sort of 
girl to sit in dark corners with men, anyway. 

Cecily {laughing). No, for when she does, they 



n MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 

always propose to her. She's grown wary. 
Bess (annoyed). Don't be silly, Cecily! 

E?iter Owen. 

Cecily. Owen, what do you think ? Polly and Ken 
are engaged ! 

Owen (joyfully). Engaged ! Are they ? (Looks 
blank). The dickens they are! 

Polly. Why ? What's the matter ? 

Owen (dissembling). Matter ? Nothing's the matter. 
Why? 

Cecily. What made your look so funny ? 

Owen. Did I look funny ? I suppose a fellow may 
be allowed a moment of surprise ? 

Cecily (incredulously). Surprise! At this ? 

Owen. Precisely. However we may have antici- 
pated the moment, the announcement was rather — 
unexpected. 

Polly. Well? 

Bess (dryly). You seem to have missed your cue, 
Owen. You are expected to effervesce. 

Owen (cordially to Polly). Oh! I'm delighted, of 
course ! Delighted ! 

Polly (pouting). You don't look it ! 

Owen (taking her hands affectionately) But I am ! 
You know this has been my dearest wish for both 
of you. When did it come off ? 

Polly (shyly). Last night. 

Owen (startled suddenly releases her hands). Last 
night ? Only last night ? 

Polly (whimsically). Now what's the matter ? 

Owen (quickly). Oh, nothing! But if I were Ken' 
and had become engaged to you last night 

Polly. Well? 

Owen. I wouldn't do what Ken's doing to-day. 

Cecily. But you sent him to Centerville yourself. 

Owen. I know I did. I'm sorry. Come along out 
in the garden with me, Cecily, and let me tell you how 
sorry I am. But he didn't tell me, the chump! 









MISS DGULTON'S ORCHIDS. 13 



(Owen and Cecily go out.) 



Polly (looking after them). Now, what has happened 
to him? Last week he told me that if I refused Ken, 
he'd never forgive me — and now look at him ! What is 
the matter with him ? 

Bess (lightly). Haven't you learned yet that when 
you give a man what he wants, he doesn't want it at 
all, and has his heart set on something quite different? 

Polly (laughing). You miserable old cynic ! Here 
comes Mr. McAllister, fm going to write letters. 

Bess (hurriedly). Oh, no, Polly, don't ! Stay here 
with me ! 

Polly. Not I ! I believe that man's in love with 
you, and I'm no fifth wheel ! (She runs into library, 
laughing.) 

(Enter Gordon from veranda.) 

Gordon (looking after Polly). Have our young 
friends confessed ? Or are they still lingering over the 
taste of stolen waters ? 

Bess (prosaically). They've announced their en- 
gagement, if that's what you mean. (Goes down l. and 
sits). 

Gordon (sighing with exaggerated relief). A-ah 1 
I'm glad to hear it I I felt like an accomplice. 

Bess (indignantly). You didn't listen! 

Gordon (down r.) After you had commanded me 
to stop my ears ? Certainly not ! 

Bess (cynically). If one were uncharitable, one might 
infer that it's just as well that I was there to insist 
upon the observance of the — decencies. 

Gordon (reflectively). Well, it's always interesting 
to know how another man does that sort of thing. 

Bess. Indeed? Have you had a wide experience as 
critic as well as in the leading role ? 

Gordon (whimsically). On the contrary ! There lies 
my complaint. Why should a woman, who never needs 
to take the initiative in matters of that sort, have the 



14 MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 

sole opportunity of hearing a variety of proposals of 
marriage? She simply gains a lot of knowledge and 
experience that she can never use, while a man, awkward 
at best, never hears any proposals but those he makes 
himself. He, therefore, is forced to depend upon his 
own main strength and stupidity, at a moment when he 
needs all the wisdom of the sages, the perception of 
the seers, and the charm of the sirens to aid him ! 

Bess. Which explains in part, I suppose, the fact 
that some men are widely known as having proposed to 
every woman who would listen to them ? " Practice 
makes perfect " — is that it ? 

Gordon (joining her). Miss Maynard, would you — 
I mean, do you — that is, is a woman going to be hard 
on a fellow just because he's amused a few girls and 
done his best to live up to their expectations ? 

Bess. Mr. McAllister ! 

Gordon (puts chair near her and sits). Yes, I 
know, but now I'm in dead-earnest ! You know there are 
girls who — well, who like to amuse themselves and be 
amused. You're not one of them — you never were one 
of that sort (Bess conceals a smile), but — is it going 
against a man that he's done his best to furnish amuse- 
ment for them ? 

Bess (with mock gravity). Is the subject one that 
impresses you as suitable material for — amusement ? 

Gordon. No — no, of course, not to a woman of 
your sort: But you see, Miss Maynard, there are so 
blessed few women like you ! I never knew another ! 
I — I wish you'd answer me ? Would you be hard on a 
fellow under those circumstances ? 

Bess (rising). I hope I should never be hard, as you 
call it, on any one, Mr. McAllister, but I should hesi- 
tate a long time before I considered seriously anything 
that might be said to me by a man who had formed the 
proposal habit. There's Polly on the veranda. Shall 
we join her ? (She goes quickly of. Gordon looks after 
her, groans, desp07idently shakes his head, and follows 
slowly.) 



MISS DOULTONS ORCHIDS. 15 

Cecily and Owen enter from the library, both looking 
troubled. She carries the card envelope. They come 
down c.) 

Cecily. And he made no explanation at all ? 

Owen. None whatever. It doesn't seem to me 
there's much to be said, is there ? The fact remains 
that he made a blooming young idiot of himself over 
Marie Doulton for two solid years and beggared him- 
self sending her flowers and fruit and candy — the 
only reason it wasn't jewels was that she wouldn't 
accept them — and now that she's come back, within 
twenty-four hours of her arrival he begins it again, 
although he's just become engaged to one of the most 
charming girls on earth. There isn't much to be said 
in explanation of that, is there ? It isn't as if he could 
afford to throw roses around. 

Cecily {miserably}. No, I suppose not. But, oh, 
poor little Polly ! You'll send them, Owen ? 

Owen (grimly'). Oh, yes, I'll send them ! 

Cecily. I wonder — Did he write on the card ? 

Owen. I don't know. 

Cecily. I suppose it wouldn't do to look ? 

Owen. Cecily ! 

Cecily (hurriedly). Oh, no, I wouldn't do it, dear ! 
Only (tearfully) I'm thinking about Polly ! Poor, poor 
little Polly ! And she's going home to make her trous- 
seau ! 

Owen. Well, don't say anything about this to any 
one for the present, Cecily. We'll give Ken a chance 
to say whatever he has to say before we mention it. 
Young rasca! ! I'd like to thump him ! (Looks at his 
watch.) Good-bye. 

Cecily (going to the hall with him). Good-bye, dear. 
(She disappears in the hall for a moment, and re-enters 
at o?ice, coming down.) 

Gordon enters from the veranda and strolls restlessly 
about, occasionally tur?iing toward her as he makes 
a point. 

Gordon (dejectedly). Hello, Cecily. Say, Cecily, 



16 MISS DOTLTON'S OKCAIDS. 

you've always been a good friend of mine. Why didn't 
you tell me years ago that I was making a donkey of 
myself, and shut me off? 

Cecily (puzzled). Eh ? 

Gordon {playing with a book). Why did you let 
me go on making love to every pretty little idiot I met ? 
Didn't I deserve better at your hands than that ? 
( Throws book o?i tabic.) What did I ever do to you ? 

Cecily {demurely). Well, you proposed to me three 
times. {Sits down r.) 

Gordon. I know ; just so you'd know when not to 
believe a fellow. You knew I didn't mean it, and I 
knew you knew it ; and maybe I saved you a heartache 
some time. Maybe you'd have believed some other 
fool if I hadn't trained you, instead of keeping your 
heart all sweet and sound for Owen. 

Cecily {laughing a little). Well, then, maybe that's 
the reason I didn't " shut you off," as you say. Per- 
haps you've been a public benefactor all these years, 
Gordon. 

Gordon. Hang the public ! What do I care about 
the public ? When I finally meet a woman whom — 
whom I do — well, whom I do love ! There ! — and 
want to marry her, she's heard all these stories of my 
idiotic past, and imagines my heart's a worm-eaten old 
nut, not even worth the cracking ! 

Cecily. Merciful powers ! Is it Bess ? 

Gordon {savagely). Is it Bess ? Of course it's 
Bess ! (Cecily laughs.) Who else could it be ? And 
I don't see anything to laugh at, either ! I tell you, 
Cecily, I'm in dead earnest about this ! 

Cecily {laughing). Oh, Gordon, to think of it ! 
After all these years ! 

Gordon. I suppose you thought I was going on 
making a buffoon of myself for ever, did you? I sup- 
pose you thought I hadn't any heart, did you? I 
suppose you thought — oh, thunder ! What do I care 
what you thought ! I want to know what I'm going 
to do! 



MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 17 

Cecily {wiping tears of laughter from her eyes). 
Have you proposed to her ? 

Gordon {sulkily). No. 

Cecily {wonderingly) . Well, why don't you ? 

Gordon. Don't know how. Don't know what to 
say. (Cecily {shrieks with laughter) Well, I don't! 

Cecily. And you have been celebrated, ever since 
I can remember, as making the most artistic proposals 
of any man in the whole country-side ! 

Gordon {joi?is her). I know that. But I want to 
make one now that somebody'll believe. You never 
believed 'em. Nobody ever believed 'em. Besides, I 
don't want to make an " artistic proposal " ! She'd 
laugh at me and tell me I had acquired the " proposal 
habit " ! 

Cecily. Well, so you have. 

Gordon. I deny it ! If I had, I'd know what to 
say to her. (Sits near her confidentially). Say, Cecily, 
what did Owen say to you ? 

Cecily {trying somewhat unsuccessfully to subdue her 
laughter). He said — let me see ! Why, I don't re- 
member. I don't think he said much of anything. I 
guess it was more what he did. 

Gordon. Well, what did he do ? 

Cecily. Gordon ! 

Gordon. I know ; but I've helped you out of many 
a tight place, Cecily — and you were never as badly 
caught as I am. If you love me, if you love — her, if 
you love Owen, or — or anybody, give me a lift ! 

Cecily {rising, trying to speak gravely}. Well, I 
will, Gordon. Truly, I will ; but not now. I've got 
something else to do now. But I'll think about it. 

Gordon {who had risen ?c>hen she die). Well, hurry 
upl And say, Cecily — don't tell Owen! (Cecily 
laughs again.) I know {ruefully) ; I suppose it is funny. 
But wait a bit, won't you ? 

Cecily. Yes, I promise. I won't tell. Oh {sud- 
denly grave), here come Polly and Bess now. 



18 MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 

{Enter Bess, from hall, in street dress, followed by 
Polly.) 

Bess. I'm off for town, Cecily. Can I do anything 
for you ? 

Cecily. I didn't know you were going. 

Bess. I'm going to see Marie Doulton. 

CEciLY {coldly). Oh! 

Polly. Tell her we're all coming to see her play 
to-morrow night. 

Bess. Yes, I will. Good-bye. {Exit Bess. Gor- 
don looks after her for a moment, and then, with dogged 
deliberation, follows her.) 

Polly. Oh, I can hardly wait to see her 1 You 
never saw her, did you ? 

Cecily. No, and I don't want to. 

Polly. Why not ? 

Cecily {turning away). Oh — because. 

Polly (lightly). Woman's reason. Because what ? 

Cecily {up\..). I don't like her. 

Polly {down r., langhing). Cecily, I believe you 
are jealous ! 

Cecily. Jealous ! Of what ? 

Polly. Because Owen was in love with her once. 

Cecily. Owen in love with her ! 

Polly. Why, yes ! Mercy ! Didn't you know it ? 
Bess told me. 

Cecily {coming swiftly down to Polly). Bess told 
you that Owen was in love with Marie Doulton ? 

Polly. Oh, I'm sorry I told, if you didn't know it. 
Cecily ! I thought Owen told you everything. 

Cecily. He does. What did she say ? 

Polly. Oh, don't let's talk about it ! 

Cecily. What did she say ? 

Polly {miserably). She said that for some time — 
ever so long ago, you know — Owen was simply infat- 
uated with Marie Doulton, and that he sent her flowers 
and fruit and candy 

Cecily {relieved). Oh, no, that was Ken! 



MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 19 

Polly. Ken / 

Cecily. Oh, good heavens ! I didn't mean to tell 
you just yet, dear, but you'd have to know it within a 
few hours anyway, so it doesn't make very much differ- 
ence. 

Polly. Have to know what ? 

Cecily. About Ken. 

Polly. What about Ken ? 

Cecily {kindly). Why, you see, Ken was very 
much in love with Marie Doulton a few years ago, and 
nearly beggared himself sending her things 

Polly. No, that was Owen ! 

Cecily. Wait, dear ! But everybody thought that 
was all over. I don't think he has seen her since she 
went on the stage — {doubtfully) I don't think he has — 
and he was quite a boy when all this happened. So 
when he fell in love with you, we were all perfectly de- 
lighted. Oh, if I could only have known ! 

Polly. Known what ? Cecily, what are you talk- 
ing about ? 

Cecily. This morning just before we told Owen of 
your engagement, he found out that Ken was sending 
flowers to Marie Doulton. 

Polly. Flowers ? Well, what of it ? Everybody 
sends flowers to people. 

Cecily. Oh, poor Polly! I'm so sorry! I — I 
wish it weren't true, but it is, and you must try to be 
brave about it, dear ! He sent her five dozen Amer- 
ican Beauties. 

Polly. Five dozen ! I don't believe it ! 

Cecily. Yes, dear, it's true. He told Owen to 
order them for him at Bauer's. 

Polly. And was that the reason 

Cecily. That Owen seemed worried ? Yes, that's 
the reason. 

Polly. Oh, there's some mistake ! It couldn't be 
Ken 1 Why, Bess said it was Owen who was so much 
in love with her ! She said he told her all about it, 
because she was such a friend of Miss Doulton's. 



20 MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 

Cecily. Owen told Bess ? 

Polly. Yes. Oh, you won't mind, Cecily ! You 
mustn't mind, because he loves you now ! But it must 
have been Owen ! 

Cecily. Well, it isn't Owen who's sending her five 
dozen roses to-day, anyway. It's Ken, for I saw the 
envelope that was to go with them, addressed in his 
writing. But — Polly, do you suppose Owen was in 
love with her ? 

Polly (in breaking tones). Oh, Cecily ! Oh, Ce- 
cily, I want to go home ! I want to go home ! (She 
drops into a chair, sobbi?ig piteously. Cecily, with quiv- 
ering lips, watches her for a moment, and then, kneeling 
beside her, gathers Polly into her arms, and they weep 
together.) 

Curtain. 



ACT II 

EVE NING 

The scene is the same. 



Enter Cecily from the library, dressed for dinner. She 
takes up Ow&n's photograph, studies it, wipes away 
a tear and sighs. Polly, also dressed for difiner, 
comes in fro?n the hall a?id looks over Cecily's 
shoulder. 

Cecily (mournfully). He doesn't look as if he'd 
deceive his wife, does he ? 

Polly. No, but one can't tell. I — I'd have trusted 
Ken anywhere ! In the face of anything 1 (Sods.) 

Cecily (tremulously). Now, Polly, don't give way 
again. You must be brave, you know, and whatever 
you do, don't let him see that it hurts ! It — it's easier 
for you than for me, you see, for you — you haven't 



MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 21 

been married {swallowing a sob) ; and — and /'/// not 
giving way ! {Puts photograph on table again.) 

Polly. No, but Owen hasn't been sending her 
flowers ! I don't see why you care so much. I 
wouldn't care how many girls Ken had been in love 
with, if I were sure that he loved me better than any 
of them now. But to have him sending her flowers — 
such flowers, too — the very day after he told me — that 
that (Sobs.) 

Cecily. But Owen has told me ever so many times 
that I was the only woman he ever really loved ! Of 
course, I knew he had had his little flirtations like other 
fellows, but I never supposed they were — like that ! 

Polly. Now, Cecily, don't give up! Don't! After 
all the trouble we took to cover up the traces, we 
mustn't cry any more ! We might just as well laugh! 
It won't do any good to cry. Let's laugh 1 (She laughs 
sobbingly, and wipes her eyes.) Has Bess come home yet ? 

Cecily. Yes ; I think she's asleep, though. I rapped 
on her door, and she didn't answer. I wish she'd come 
down. 

Polly. But you won't try fo talk about this now, 
will you ? You mustn't, for you'd cry, and you know we 
agreed that we'd go through dinner just as usual. 

Cecily. Oh, yes, just as usual ! We'll show them 
that other people can feel one thing and act another. 

(Enter Bess, in dinner dress, looking troubled. She 
comes down c.) 

Cecily. Oh, Bess, I'm so glad you've come ! 

Bess (taking Cecily's hand sympathetically). You 
dear girl ! You look tired, Cecity. 

Cecily (turning away to hide tears). Oh, I've such a 
headache ! 

Polly (also turning away). So've I ! 

Bess (sighing). So've I ! (Sits dow?i l.) 

Cecily. Did you have a pleasant day ? 

Bess. No ; horrid ! 

Cecily (down r.) So did I ! 



22 MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 

Polly {up c). So did I ! 

Cecily {looking away from Bess). Did you see — 
Miss Doulton ? 

Bess. Yes I don't think the stage has im- 
proved her any. 

Cecily {turning swiftly toward her). Don't you ? 
Why? 

Bess. No, I don't ! She's grown so— careless ! There 
was a time when she wouldn't accept even flowers — 
awfully expensive ones, you know — from — well, from 
men who had no business to send them ! 

Polly {stifling a sob). From engaged men. 

Bess {glancing hastily at Cecily). Yes, or — from 
married men. 

Cecily {impulsively). Bess, is it true that Owen was 
in love with her? 

Bess {reproachfully). Polly ! 

Polly {hurriedly). I thought she knew about it, 
Bess, or I wouldn't have told her. 

Cecily. Is it true ? 

Bess {reluctantly). Well — he was rather attentive to 
her for a time. {Rises uneasily.) 

Cecily {joining Bess down L.). And is it true that 
he sent her things all the time — flowers and candy and 
all that — and — and just dangled after her ? 

Bess {impulsively). Yes, he did ! It is true ! 

Polly {eagerly as she comes down). Then it was 
Owen after all, and not Ken ? 

Bess. No, it was — both of them. 

Cecily. Both of them ! 

Polly. Both of them ! 

Bess. Yes, both of them. For a long time they 
were rivals, and — why, don't you remember, Cecily, 
that for several months Owen and Ken were hardly on 
speaking terms ? It was only after Owen became en- 
gaged to you that Ken really forgave him. 

Cecily. And was that the reason ? 

Bess. That was the reason. They were both in 
love with her. 



MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 23 

Cecily. And he never told me ! He said I was the 
only woman he had ever loved ! 

Bess {bitterly, crossing to R.) Well, that should have 
been enough ! Any man who will say that to a woman, 
expecting her to believe it, is a confirmed flirt ! 

Polly {dolefully). Yes, that's true ! Ken told me 
that he had liked lots of girls, but that he had never 
cared deeply for one before, and — he was in love with 
her, too ! And I'd have trusted Ken anywhere ! 

Bess. Oh, but Ken was only a boy ! His devotion 
to her was rather funny — and really very pretty, too. 
It was intense while it lasted, but she's several years his 
senior, you know, so it wasn't very serious. 

Polly. Oh, but it was ! And it is yet 1 He — he 

{She bursts into tears and goes up stage.) 

Bess. Why, Polly ! 

Cecily. You see, Polly has just learned that Ken 
sent Marie Doulton a magnificent bunch of roses this 
morning. (She joins Polly, trying to comfort her.) 

Bess. What ? Ken ! 

Polly {hysterically). Yes, Ken. 

Cecily. He asked Owen to order them for him, 
because he had to go to Centerville. 

Bess. Roses! You're sure it wasn't orchids? 

Cecily. No, it was roses. Five dozen of the most 
expensive, he said. 

Bess, {dropping into a chair). For heaven's sake ! 

Cecily. And Owen told me about it. He was very 
angry. 

Bess {drily). Oh, was he. 

Cecily. Why, of course he was ! Owen hates any- 
thing like that, you know. 

Bess {same tone). Yes, I know. 

Cecily. And I didn't mean to tell Polly, but it 
slipped out, and — she had to know it sooner or later, 
so it doesn't make much difference. 

Polly. And Cecily and I have been crying all 
day- 



Cecily. Until we looked perfect frights- 



24 MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 

Polly. And then we bathed our eyes and dress- 



ed 

Cecily. Because we don't want them to suspect 
that we know until after dinner. 

Polly. We want to show them that we can be calm 
and dignified, even in the face of insult. 

Cecily. So we're going through the dinner just as 
if nothing had happened 

Polly {tremulously). We're going to be just as self- 
possessed as possible 

Cecily {with a responsive tremor). Y-y-yes, we're 

not going to sh-sh-shed a tear {She fumbles for her 

handkerchief. ) 

Polly. Nor show any emotion— — 

Cecily. Nor — nor anything ! Where is my handker- 
chief ? {Exit hurriedly, sobbing.) 

Polly {dolefully, coming down c.) Oh I Bess, isn't 
it awful ! 

Bess. It is that ! 

Polly. Would you have believed it of Ken ? 

Bess. Ken ? Oh, he's not so bad. It's Owen ! 

Polly. Owen ! 

Bess. Yes, Owen, {foins Polly, speaking hurriedly 
in co?ifidential tone). Look here, Polly, I didn't mean 
to say anything about it, but — I don't know what to 
do. I saw Owen buying orchids for Miss Doulton. 

Polly. Orchids ! 

Bess. A great big box of them. A pretty price they 
must have cost him ! 

Polly. Maybe they were for Cecily. 

Bess, {scornfully). For Cecily I Did you ever know 
a man to buy a box — so big {illustrating) — of orchids 
for his wife ? Besides, I saw them in her room after- 
ward. 

Polly. Did you see the roses, too ? Ken never sent 
me live dozen American Beauties. 

Bess. I don't know. Oh, yes, I suppose so ! There 
were huge bunches of roses everywhere, but nothing 
compared with those orchids. 



MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. £5 

Polly (in tears). Oh, Bess ! Oh, poor Cecily ! 
Aren't men horrid ! What shall we do ? 

Bess {looking toward doot l.). 'Sh, here she comes ! 
Polly ! 'Sh ! We mustn't tell her ! 

Polly. B-b-but I think she ought to know ! 

Bess {doubtfully). Do you ? 

Polly. Yes, because if she finds out about it this 
time, it may prevent his doing it again. 

Bess. Well— I must think. Do hush, Polly ! 

Polly {hysterically). Oh, I ca-ca-a-a-an't ! 

Bess. Then run away ! 

{Enter Cecily from the library, wearing a determined 
smile?) 

Cecily. Polly ! You promised you wouldn't cry any 
more ! Do go and bathe your eyes ! {Exit Polly to hall, 
weeping bitterly. Cecily continues resolutely.) Now, 
I'm going to be cheerful. Let me see ! I had some- 
thing on my mind to tell you. Oh, yes, it was Gordon ! 

Bess {indifferently). His weight can't have oppress- 
ed you much 1 {Goes to table and selects a book.) 

Cecily. Now, Bess, don't be hard on Gordon ! He's 
a dear ! 

Bess. To how many girls ? 

Cecily. Well, as he says himself, he's been sort of 
a public benefactor. He's prevented a lot of us from 
throwing ourselves away on. other fellows. 

Bess. Who wants to marry a safety-valve ? 

Cecily. But you see, the difference is just here. 
He never cared a thing in the world about one of us, 
and we all knew it ; but he's desperately in love with 
you. You're the only woman he ever did love. He 
told me so himself. 

Bess {irritably tossing book aside). Good heavens ! 
It's bad enough to have a man say that to one in the 
privacy of a proposal, but when he goes about advertis- 
ing it to one's friends ! 

Cecily. But it's true ! • I've known Gordon for years, 
and you're the only girl he ever knew to whom he was 



26 MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 

afraid to propose. 

Bess {coming down l.). Is the man so sure I'd 
accept him ? 

Cecily. Oh, Bess, don't be horrid ! Gordon would 
make such a good husband ! 

Bess. What am I that a miracle should be worked 
for me ? 

Cecily {faintly smiling). Do you think it would be 
so hard for him to be a good husband ? 

Bess. No harder than for any other man, I suppose. 

Cecily (persuasively, joining Bess). Bess, sometimes 
I think you're getting bitter. You mustn't do that ! 
There are some horrid men in the world, but there are 
some splendid ones, too ! Now, there's Owen ! Of 
course, he isn't perfect — if he were, I don't know what 
he'd do with me! — and I'm impatient with him some- 
times, but — just the same, Owen is such a dear, faith- 
ful, considerate, unselfish fellow! I'd like to see you as 
happily married as I am ! 

Bess (irrepressibly). Heaven forfend ! 

Cecily. Why, Bess / You like Owen ! You know 
he's splendid ! Now, don't you ? . . . Bess ! You do, 
don't you? (She touches Bess's shoulder persuasively.) 

Bess (choking with tears). Don't, Cecily ! Let me 
go! 

Cecily (holding Bess's arm). Bess ! Bess ! What 
do you mean ? What is it ? Tell me ! (Bess shakes her 
head and tries i?i vain to pull away.) You shall tell me ! 
What is it ? 

Bess. Nothing ! 

(Enter Polly from hall.) 

Cecily. It is ! It's something about Owen ! Isn't 
it ? (Shakes Bess a little.) Isn't it ? Do you know 
anything more about Owen that I don't know ? Bess ! 

Polly (up c). Oh, tell her, Bess ! She'll find out 
some day, anyway, and then we'll wish we had warned 
her now. 

Cecily. Polly ! You know ? 



MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 27 

Bess {dully). Yes, Polly knows. {Crosses to r.) 
I saw Owen buying an immense box of orchids at 
Bauer's 

Cecily. Roses, you mean. 

Bess. No, I don't; I mean orchids. And later, 

I saw the same box brought to Marie Doulton. 

Cecily. Oh — oh, there's some mistake i He bought 
them for Ken. 

Polly {bursting into tears again). Ken ordered 
roses 1 Oh, and I'd have trusted Ken through any- 
thing ! {Flings herself into chair, near table, up l.) 

Bess. When Marie opened them, I said : " What 
magnificent flowers 1 " and she laughed and replied: 

II Yes ; poor boy ! He still sends them." I said : I 
saw him buying them. Do you think you have any 
right to accept them — now ? " and she laughed again, 
in a careless sort of way, and said: " Well, I've told 
him not to send them, but he will do it ; and what 
woman could refuse flowers like that ? " 

Cecily {breathlessly). Bess I 

Bess. And then I came away. I — I couldn't stay 
in the room with them 1 

Cecily {piteously). Oh, Bess ! 

Bess. And that's all. (Polly sobs and Cecily stares 
straight before her, as if stunned?) And I thank heaven 
{a Utile wildly) that I'm not married to any man ! 
{Sobs chokifigly and goes toward hall door.) 

Polly. Bess ! I believe you care for some one, too ! 

Bess {hurriedly). No, no, no ! Not in the least ! 
I assure you I do not ! (Polly sobs disconsolately.) 
{Enter Gordon, from the veranda. The girls all turn 
their faces away from him.) 

Gordon {cheerfully in doorway). Ah, I thought I 
heard voices ! Why don't you come out on the veran- 
da ? It's fine 1 Well, I've got the seats for to-morrow 
night. We'll have a great time, eh? {Looks from one 
to another.) Why doesn't somebody say something ? 
Overcome at the prospect of seeing the great beauty, 
Cecily ? 



28 MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 

Cecily. I — I shall not see her. I'm not going. 

(Exit hurriedly.) 

Gordon. Not going! Not going to see Marie 
Doulton ? What's up? You wouldn't miss it, Miss 
Winslow ? 

Polly. Nothing on earth would tempt me to go ! 
(Exit hurriedly to library.) 

Gordon. Eh ! Oh, I say ! Why, see here, Miss 
Maynard, what does this mean ? It's a joke, isn't it ? 
They don't mean it seriously ? 

Bess (coming down). They mean it very seriously. 

Gordon (following her). And you ? 

Bess. I mean it also. 

Gordon. By Jove ! What's up ? 

Bess. We shall leave the contemplation of Miss 
Doulton's charms to the men of the household. 

Gordon. Why, I thought she was a friend of yours ! 

Bess. She was — until to-day. (Sits, weariiy.) 

Gordon. Oh, I see ! You — er — disagreed, and 
the girls are resenting it with you. Sort of a sym- 
pathetic strike. (Pulls chair near her as if for a loiig 
chat.) 

Bess. On the contrary, I am only a sympathizer — 
but my sympathies are active ! 

Gordon. I'm glad to hear that, for I'm in need of 
them. I — I — oh, Bess, I can't lead up to it, but you 
must see how it is with me ! 

Bess. Oh, don't ! (Covers her face with her hands.) 

Gordon. I know. You think I'm a sublime fraud 
and not to be trusted 

Bess (weariiy, lifting her head). Perhaps you're as 
much to be trusted as any man. 

Gordon (hopefully). Bess ! 

Bess. But there's not a man on earth I'd trust to 
the extent of marrying him. Not one ! 

Gordon (falling bach disappointed). Oh, Bess! 

Bess (a little wildly). To you, we are all toys, kept 
for an otherwise idle hour. Your code is not our 



MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 29 

code ; your ideals are not our ideals ; your honour — 
thank heaven ! — is not our honour. 

Gordon {simply). I don't think I understand. 

Bess {bitterly). Perhaps your friends, Mr. Belknap 
and Mr. Moore, will explain. 

Gordon {rising and walking restlessly about). I may 
have been unfortunate enough to have offended you 
(Bess shakes her head), or some other man, of whom 
I know nothing, may have destroyed your faith in him, 
but it is not just — nor is it like you — to condemn the 
innocent with the guilty. Some of us — most of us, 
perhaps — are not all that we might be, but Owen 
Belknap and Kenneth Moore are two as straight fellows 
as the Lord ever made ! 

Bess {rising). Which completes the circle and 
brings us back to the starting-point. 

Gordon {confronting her). Do you mean to tell me 
that you would not trust Owen ? 

Bess. I do. 

Gordon. Nor Ken ? 

Bess. I do. 

Gordon. Of course, you think you have reason ? 

Bess. I have reason. 

Gordon (shaking his head). There's some mistake. 
Owen and Ken are absolutely to be trusted. 

Bess {impulsively). Which is the reason that Ken- 
neth, who was madly in love with Marie Doulton for 
two years, sent her a magnificent bunch of roses to-day, 
far more costly than his means justify, although his 
engagement to Polly Winslow was announced only this 
morning ! 

Gordon. What ! 

Bess. This is quite true. Cecily saw the envelope, 
holding Ken's card and addressed in his writing, which 
was to go with them, and Owen ordered the flowers at 
Ken's request. 

Gordon. Owen ordered the flowers ! But don't you 
see, that in itself is Kenneth's vindication ! The fact 
that he told Owen proves 



30 MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 

Bess {hopefully). Oh, do you think so? {Dejectedly.) 
Owen doesn't take that view of it. 

Gordon. Do you mean to say that Owen believes — ? 
(Bess nods.) But surely he disapproved ? 

Bess {sarcastically). Oh, yes, he disapproved — 
violently! He said various condemnatory things to 
Cecily — and then went and ordered a box of orchids 
for Miss Doulton that completely overshadowed Ken's 
roses. I happened to see him selecting them. 

Gordon. They couldn't have been for Miss Doul- 
ton. They must have been for Cecily. 

Bess. Unfortunately, I was with Miss Doulton 
when they arrived. 

Gordon. Then he substituted orchids for roses in 
filling Ken's order. 

Bess. To what purpose ? Ken said roses ; and the 
shops are full of them. You may not know that Owen, 
also, was very much in love Math Miss Doulton at one 
time. In fact, he and Kenneth had a very bitter quar- 
rel about her. 

Gordon {shakes his head and begins to wander about 
again, stopping an instant wherever he makes a point). 

There's some absurd mistake in all this. Kenneth's 
a good deal of a kid — but he's not a cad ; and as for 
Owen — oh, it's impossible ! Did you see Owen's card 
with the orchids ? 

Bess. It wasn't necessary. I saw him select and 
pay for them ; and Miss Doulton admitted that she had 
forbidden him to continne sending them, but said he 
would do it. 

Gordon. I tell you, there's some mistake ! 

Bess. How about the roses that Ken asked Owen 
to order ? I suppose that's a mistake, too ? 

Gordon {still walking about). I still think that the 
very fact that he confided in Owen proves the integrity 
of his motive. 

Bess {going toward library door). He probably 
counted on the honour that prevails among thieves — 
{bitterly) and Owen failed him, even there ! 



MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 31 

Gordon. I'll never believe it until they tell me 
themselves ... I suppese Cecily and Miss Winslow 
know all this ? 

Bess {stops near door). Yes. 

Gordon {gravely). And is this the cause of your 
bitter denunciation of all men ? 

Bess. Isn't it enough ? If Owen and Ken are not 
to be trusted 

Gordon {again confronting her). But they are to be 
trusted ! Believe me, they are ! (Bess shakes her head, 
but less positively). If I prove it — if I prove 4 that this 
is all a mistake, will you grant, also, that perhaps I am 
more earnest than I have been painted, and give me a 
chance ? 

Bess {faltering). But I saw 

Gordon. Nevermind what you saw! If I prove 
that Owen and Ken are trustworthy, will you trust me, 
too? 

Bess. If you can prove that Ken did not order five 
dozen roses sent to Marie Doulton this morning, and 
if you can prove that Owen did not send the orchids 
that I saw him pay for, that I saw delivered, and that 
she admitted she ought not to accept — I'll 

Gordon. Yes ? 

Bess {laughing nervously). I'll believe anything else 
you choose to tell me ! {Exit to library.) 

Gordon {comes dozen, hands in pockets and head 
bowed). Whew ! {Sits down r. and shakes his head 
dubiously.) 

{Enter Kenneth from the veranda. He moves toward 
library without noticing Gordon.) 

Gordon. Hullo, you young jackanapes! Where've 
you been all day ? 

Kenneth {at c. disgustedly. Centerville. Where 
are the girls ? 

Gordon. Well, you'd better have been at home, 
'tending to your knitting work. 

Kenneth, Couldn't help it. It was business. 



32 MISS DOULTOXS ORCHIDS. 

(Enter Polly from the library. Gordon rises.) 

Kenneth. That idiot of an agent up there — oh, 
here's Polly ! {Goes eagerly toward her.) 

Polly (coldly, avoidi?ig him). Good evening. (Crosses 
to door r. and stands looking out.) 

Kenneth. Eh ? I say, what's up ? 

Gordon (dozen r. watching keenly). As I said, Ken- 
neth, you dropped a stitch and your knitting work got 

tangled in your absence. Now, how about 

(Enter Cecily from the hall.) 

Kenneth {interrupting Gordon on " how" eagerly). 
Hullo, Cecily ! What's wrong ? (Cecily turns her back 
on him.) Well, by Jove, I think you might tell a fel- 
low ! 

Gordon. I'm trying, with what patience is in me, 
to explain 

(Enter Owen from the veranda. He carries a box of 
carnations.) 

Kenneth. I say, Owen I What's wrong ? 

Owen (going at once to Cecily). Well, sweetheart ? 
(She slips past him, with a reproachful glance, and comes 
down l. Owen follows.) What's the matter, dear? 
Here ; I brought you some carnations. (Her glance 
becomes scornful and she steps bacJz.) Why, what's the 
matter? 

Kenneth (at c) Well, that's what I want to know I 

Here I come in, after a deuce of a day at Centerville, 

and they all treat me as if I were a convict ! And you 

seem to be equally unpopular ! Oh, here comes Bess 1 

(Enter Bess from the hall.) 

Kenneth. Say, Bess, what's wrong ? 

Bess (in doorway^). You'd better ask what's right ? 
It would indicate a more hopeful condition of your 
moral sense ! 

Owen. But see here ! 

Kenneth. Well, I swear ! Gordon, do you know 
anything about this ? 



MISS DOULTONS ORCHIDS. 33 

Gordon. No ; but I hope to untangle it. It's 
primarily about some orchids, I believe. 

Kenneth {puzzled). Orchids ! 

Gordon. Now, this is Owen's knitting work, Ken. 
You keep out. 

Owen. Well, what about them ? 

Gordon. You sent some to Miss Doulton ? 

Owen. No, / didn't send them. That is 

{Hesitates.) 

Bess {up c.) Owen Belknap ! 

Gordon {patiently). Now, if you please, Miss May- 
nard, this is my demonstration. Yours will come 
later — I hope. (Bess bites her lip.) Now, Owen ? You 
didn't send them ? 

Owen. No, I — well {glancing at Polly), I'd rather 
not explain here. What about them, anyway ? 

Gordon. Well, if you have any explanation to offer, 
you'd better get about it. Right here, too. A hypo- 
thetical cat seems to have escaped from an equally 
hypothetical bag, but there's no secret about it. I'm 
right, ladies? There's no secrecy? Now, Owen. 

Owen {troubled). But — you see (He hesitates 

and looks at Kenneth.) 

Kenneth. Out with it, Owen ! If you hold the 
key to this mystery, for heaven's sake, produce it ! 

Owen. Well, it's simply this. I ordered those 
orchids at Ken's request, but why you should stand me 
up and 

Cecily. Oh, Owen ! 

Kenneth, I didn't say orchids ! I said roses ! 
(Polly bursts i?ito tears, and -turns to Bess, who comes 
down to her.) 

Owen. I know you did. You said you wanted five 
dozen, of the choicest variety. You also informed me 
{sarcastically) that expense was no object, and as Bauer 
had not five dozen fine roses of one kind in his shop, 
and as he had some particularly good orchids, I thought 
I'd satisfy your desire for a large bill, so I ordered the 
orchids sent with your card. But I must say, Kenneth 
(severely) 



34 MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 

Kenneth {aghast). With my card ! 

Cecily (patting Owen's arm). Oh, I knew all the 
time there must be some such explanation ! I didn't 
really believe it for a moment ! Bess, you might have 
known ! 

Polly (sobbing). And I'd have trusted Ken through 
anything / 

Kenneth. Now, look here ! You people don't 
think, for one minute 

Cecily. Oh, we all know what you did ! 

Bess. Polly, dear, don't ! (She tries to soothe sobbing 
Polly.) 

Kenneth (hotly). I suppose you all think that 
because I ordered some roses sent to Marie Doulton, 
I'm a double-faced scoundrel, don't )^ou ? 

Cecily. Some roses ! 

Kenneth. I suppose you've all been retailing the 
story of my youthful infatuation and sitting in judg- 
ment upon me, haven't you? You've even been tortur- 
ing Polly about it — and (sorrowfully) she believed you 1 

Cecily. Well, but you told Owen 

Kenneth. Of course I told Owen ! I'll tell all of 
you if you'll keep still long enough to hear it ! I got 
a letter from Fred Grover this morning — he's down at 
his mother's, sick 

(Polly looks up, her face lighting.) 
Cecily. Oh, well, never mind 



Gordon. The defendant has the stand ! 
Kenneth. He said Marie has refused him again- 



Cecily. Well, is that any reason why you should 
send her five dozen roses ? Just after 

Polly. Oh, Cecily, do keep still ! Don't you see ? 
They were for him ! 

Kenneth. That's it ! They were for Fred ! 

Polly. Oh, Ken ! 

Cecily. But the card ! 

Kenneth. Was his, I suppose. / didn't look at 
it ? All I did was to put her address on the envelope. 



MISS DOULTON'S ORCHIDS. 35 

Polly. Oh, Ken ! (She runs off to the veranda, 
pursued by Kenneth.) 

Cecily. Then all this has been — Oh, Owen ! 
(She looks penitently at him and extends an entreating 
hand, which he takes tenderly. They disappear in the 
library.) 

Gordon. Miss Maynard, I submit that I have 
proved my case. 

Bess (going to l. a). Wasn't it rather — vicarious ? 

Gordon. Nevertheless, it is proved. Now will you 
believe 

Bess (behind a chair, breathlessly, making one last 
stand for her convictions). All but one thing. Don't 
ever attempt to convince me that — that 

Gordon (eagerly impatient). Well? 

Bess. That I'm the only woman you ever loved ! 

Gordon (with triumphant conviction). But you are ! 

(He steps toward her with outstretched arms.) 
QUICK CURTAIN. 



JUST PUBLISHED 



What Happened to Jones 

An Original Farce in Three Acts 
By GEORGE H. BROADHURST 



CAST OF CHARACTERS 

JONES, who travels for a hymn-book house 

EBENEZER GOODLY, aprofessor of anatomy 

ANTONY GOODLY, D.D., Bishop of Ballarat 

RICHARD HEATHERLY, engaged to Marjorie 

THOMAS HOLDER, a policeman 

WILLIAM BIGBEE, an inmate of the Sanitarium 

HENRY FULLER, superintendent of the Sanitarium 

MRS. GOODLY, Ebenezefs wife 

CISSY, Ebenezer's ward 

MARJORIE, ) 

MINERVA ) Ebenezer's daughters 

ALVINA STARLIGHT, Mr. Goodtys sister 
HELMA, a servant 

SYNOPSIS OF SCENES 

ACT 1. — Handsomely furnished room in home of 

Ebenezer Goodly. 
ACT 2.— The same. 
ACT 3.— The same. 

This is the jolliest sort of a farce, clean and sparkling all the way 
through. A professor of anatomy is lured to a prize fight and the 
police make a raid on the "mill." The professor escapes to his 
home, followed by Jones, a traveling salesman, who sells hymn 
books when he can and playing cards when he cannot. The police 
are on the trail, so Jones disguises himself by putting on a Bishop's 
garb, and a lot of funny complications ensue. The other funmakers 
are aided not a little by an escaped lunatic. This celebrated farce 
has been a tremendous success for years on the professional stage and 
is now published for the first time. 

PRICE, 50 CENTS 



JUST PUBLISHED 

AT YALE 

A Comedy Drama of College Life in Three Acts 

By OWEN DAVIS 



CAST OF CHARACTERS 

Dick Sheeley Yale '05. 

Mr. Clayton Randal Of New York. 

Jack Randal His son, Yale '05. 

Dave Burly Substitute on Yale Crew. 

Jim Tucker Captain of Yale Crew. 

Jimsey A Telegraph Messenger Boy. 

Clancy A Prize-fighter. 

John Kennedy Coach Yale Crew. 

Frank Young Member of Yale Crew. 

Ed. Scott Friend of Dick and Member of Yale 

Crew. 

Tom Haynes Member of Yale Crew. 

Robert Crosby Member of Yale Crew. 

Jepson Boatman. 

Pol 

Harry Wilson 

Will Taylor 

Mrs. Randal Jack's Mother. 

Dorothy Randal Her daughter. 

Polly Burk A friend of Dorothy. 

Mame Brady A poor girl. 

SYNOPSIS OF SCENES 
ACT I.— Vanderbilt Hall, New Haven. 

ACT II. — Scene 1. — A Boat House, Gales Ferry. 

Scene 2. — The Start. Gales Ferry Quarters. 
Scene 3. — The Race. Thames River. 

ACT III. — Exterior of Griswold Hotel, Eastern Point. New Lon- 
don. The night of the race. 

A Comedy Drama of American College Life In Three Acts, by Owen Davis. 
This piece was played with tremendous success all over the United States by 
Paul Gilmore. Sixteen males, four females, four of the men being unimportant. 
This is a play with a distinct college setting, in which athletics are prominent; 
just the kind of play that is wanted by nearly every high school and college con- 
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PBICE. 25 CENTS 



JUST PUBLISHED 

The Great Successful College Play Entitled 

CUPID AT VASSAR 

A COMEDY DRAMA IN FOUR ACTS 
By OWEN DAVIS 

AUTHOR OF "AT YALE" 

CAST OF CHARACTERS 

John Willett A Young Architect. 

Amos North Of North & Son, Bankers. 

Shiny A Lazy Darkey. 

Hank Gubbin The Hired Man. 

Mrs. Newton Of Great Falls, Vermont. 

Kate Her Daughter. 

Wanda Kate's Half-sister. 

Miss Page 

Sally Webb 

Matty Hart 

Alice Worth 

Patty Snow 

Helen Conway 

As many more college girls as are desired. 

SYNOPSIS 
Act I 
Scene, sitting-room of Kate's home in Vermont. (At the Old 
Home.) 

Act II 
Scene, Kate's room, in a senior double. (At Vassar.) 

Act III 
Scene, same set as Act I. with snow and winter backing and 
Christmas tree, etc. (Vacation Time.) 

Act IV 

Scene, college campus at Vassar. (Graduation Day. The Daisy 
Chain.) 

This comedy is eminently suited to girls' schools and colleges, as it 
can be played by all females. There are only four male char- 
acters, two of which are eccentric parts, and all the male parts can 
be easily dressed by girls. The play has all college surroundings, 
and the last act contains the famous daisy chain which is so popular 
at girls' colleges. 

PRICE, 25 CENTS 



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VOL. XLI 
331 The Pirate's Legacy 

822 The Charcoal Burner 

823 Adelgitha 

824 Stnur Valiant* 
826 Forest Row 

32f Duke's Daughter 
327 Camilla's Husband 
828 Pure Gold 

VOL. XLII. 

329 Ticket of Leave Man 

330 Fool'i Revenge 
231 O'Neil tlie Great 
382 Handy Andy 

333 Pinue of the Isles 
834 Kanehon 
335 Liule Barefoot 
33< Wild Irish Girl 
VOL. XLIII. 

837 Pearl of Savov 

838 Dead Heart 

339 Ten IN irhts in a Bar-room 

340 Dumb Boyof Manchester 

841 BelphegortheMounteb'k 

842 Cricket on the Hearth 
243 Printer's Devil 

344 Meg's Diversion 



(French's Standard Drama Continued from 2d page ef Cover.) 



VOL. XLIV 
840 Drunkard's Doom 

346 Chimney Corner 

347 Fifteen Years of a Drunk 
848 No Thoroughfare fard': 
349 Peep O' Day \_Uit 

360 Everybody's Friend 

361 Gen. Grant 

362 Kathleen Mavourneen 

VOL. XLV. 
353 Nick Whiffles 
364 Fruits of the Wine Cup 
86b Drunkard's Warning 
35S Temperance Doctor 

357 Aunt Dinah 

358 Widow Freeheart 

359 Frou Frou 

360 Long Strike 

VOL. XLVI. 

361 Larcers 
862 Lu' ill* 

363 Randall's Thumb 

364 Wicked World 

365 Two Orphans 
866 Colleen Bawn 

367 'Twixt Axe and Crown 
868 Lady Clancarthy 



VOL. XLVII. TOL. L. 

369 Saratoga 3*8 Fine Feathers 

370 Never Too Late to Mend 8»4 Prompter's Bex 

371 Lily of Franc* 

372 Led Astray 

373 Henry V 

374 Unequal Match 
376 May or Dolly's Delusloi 

376 Allatoona 

VOL. XLVIII. 

377 Enoch Arden 

378 Under the Gas Light 
"9 Daniel Rochat 



Caste 
381 School 
3S2 Home 

i David Garrick 
lOurs 

VOL. XLIX. 
385 Social Glass 
Daniel Druca 
Two Roses 
Adrienne 
889 The Bells 

390 Uncle 

391 Courtship 

392 Not Such a fool 



396 Iron Master 

396 Engaged 

i97 Pygmalion k Galatea 

398 Leah 

399 Scrap of Paper 

400 Lost in London 
VOL. LL 

401 Octoroon 

402 Confederate Spy 

403 Mariner's Return 

404 Ruined by Drink 

405 Dream* 

406 M. P. 

407 War 

408 Birth 
VOL. LIL 

409 Nightingale 

410 Progress 

411 Play 

412 Midnight Chare* 

413 Confidential Clerk 

414 Snowball 

415 Our Regiment 

416 Married for Money 
Hamlet in Three Aots 
Guttle k Gulpit 



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OF THE WORKS OF THE BEST AUTHORS. 

The following very successful plays have just been issued at 25 cents per copy. 



Comedy in 8 Acts 
'Sowing the Wind," 



A PAIR OF SPECTACLES. 

by Sydney Grundy, author of ' 
Ac. 8 male, 3 female characters. 

A FOOL'S PARADISE. An original play In 8 
Acts by Sydnky Grunpy, author of "Sowing the 
Wind," Ac. 5 male, 4 female characters. 

THE SILVER SHIELD. An original comedy in 
3 Act? by Sydney Grundy, author of "Sowing the 
Wind," &c. 6 male, 3 female characters. 

THE GLA8S OP PASHIOT*. An original oom- 
edv in 4 Acts by Syi-ni v i.rundy, author of "Sowing 
the Wind," kc". 6 male. & female characters. 



THE BALLOON. Farcical comedy !n I Aets by J. 

H. Darnlky and Man villi Fbnn. < male, 4 female 

characters. 
MISS CLEOPATRA. Farce In S Aets 07 Abthpb 

Shirley. 1 male, 3 female characters. 
SIX PERSONS. Comedy Act by I. Zanswiix. 

1 male, 1 female character. 
FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE. Comedl- 

ette in 1 Act by Percy Fkndall. 1 mala, 1 female 

chs /acter. 
HIGHLAND LEGACY. 

Brandon Thomas, auth 

6 male, 2 female characters. 



IT. Comedy in 1 Aet by 
lor of "Charley's Aunt." 



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Baker's Reading Club 

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French's Standard and Minor Drama, 

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Talma Actor's Art 

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Webster's Acting Edition 

Wigs, eto. 



(French's Minor Drama Continued from 4th page of Cover.") 



VOL. XLI. 
821 Adventures of a Love 
852 ' ost Child [Letter 

328 Court Cards 
SM Cox and Box 
Itt J'ortv Winks 
tf I Wonderful Woman 
1*7 Curious Case 
SM Tweedle ton's Tall Coat 



VOL. XLII. 
328 As Like as Two Peas 
330 Presumptive Evidence 
381 Happv Band 

332 Pinafore 

333 Mock Trial 

324 Mv Uncle's Will 
335 Happy "air 
88* My Turn Next 



VOL. XLIII. 

337 Sunset 

338 For Half a Million 

339 C ble Car 
,',40 Early Bird 

341 Alumni Play 

342 Show of Hands 

1 343 Barbara 

1344 Who's Whe 



VOL. XLIV. 
345 Who's To Win Him 
■■U6 Which is Which 
347 Cup of Tea 
34* Sarah's Young Man 

349 Hearts 

350 In Honor Bound [Law 

351 Freezing a Motasr-in- 
362 My Lord in Livery 



4JV1UEL FRENCH, 28=30 West 38th Street, New York City 



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New and Explicit Descriptive Catalogue Mailed Pree on Request. 



FRENCH'S MINOR DRAMA. 



Price 15 Cents each.— Bound Volumes' $1.25. 



VOL. I. 
1 Tke Irlth Attorney 
S Boots .it the Swan 
> How to Pay the Rent 
4 The Loan of a Lorer 
t The Dead Shot 
« Hit Last '.eg. 
T The InvK.ble Prinee 
• The Golden Farmer 

VOL. II. 
t Pride of the Market 

10 Uied Up 

11 The Irish Tutor 

1J The Barrack Room 

13 Luke the La orer 

14 Beauty and the Beast 
16 St. Patrick's Eve 

II Captain of the Watch 

VOL. III. 
IT The Secret [pers 

II White Horse of the Pep- 
It The Jacobite 
30 The Bottle 
91 Box and Cox 
it Bamboozling 
S3 Widow's Victim 
14 Robert Macaire 

VOL. IV. 
II Secret Service 
91 Omnibus 
9T Irish Lion 
91 Maid of Crolssy 
It The Old Guard 

10 Raising the Wind 
81 81asher and Crusher 
89 Naral Eng igements 

VOL. V. 

11 Cocknles in California 
84 Who Speaks First 

If Bombastes Furioso 

SI Macbeth Travestie 

IT Irish Ambassidor 

88 Delicate Ground 

It The Weathercock [Gold 

40 All that Glitters is Not 

VOL. VI. 

41 Qrlmshaw, Bagshaw and 

Bradshaw 
19 Rough Diamond 
41 Bloomer Costume 
14 Two Bonnyca-tles 
45 Born to Good Luck 
16 Kiss In the Dark [jurer 

47 'Twould Puzzle • Con- 

48 Kill or Cure 

VOL. \'II. 
4t Box and Cox Married and 
10 St. Cupid [Settled 

tl Go-to-bed Tom 
19 The Lawyers 



13 Jack Sheppard 

14 The Toodles 
16 The Mobcap 
II Ladies Beware 

VOL. VIII. 
6T Morning Call 
61 Popping the Quettloa 

69 Deaf as a Post 
•0 Ne .t Footman 

II Pleasant Neighbor 
19 Paddy the Piper 

63 Brian O'LInn 

64 Irish Assurance 

VOL. IX 

65 Temptation 
II Paddv Carey 
67 Two Gregories 
18 King Charming 
It Po-ca-hon-tas 

70 Clockmaker's Hat 
Tl Married Rake 

T9 Lore and Murder 

VOL. X. 
TS Ireland and America 
T4 Pretty Pieee of Business 
Tl Irl »h Broom-maker 
TITe Paris and Back fo 

Fire Pounds 
TT That Blessed Ba»v 
T8 Oar Gal 
Tt Swiss Cottage 
80 Yeuag Widow 



VOL. XI. 

81 O'Flannig in and the F 

82 Irish Post [r 

83 My Neighbor's Wife 

84 Irish Tiger 

85 P. P., or Man and Tig. 
66 To Oblige Benson 

87 State Secrets 

88 Irish Yankee 
VOL. XII. 

89 A Good Fellow 
80 Cherry and Fair Star 

91 Gale Breezely 

92 Our Jemiiny 

93 Miller's Maid 

94 Awkward Arrival 
96 Crossing the Line 

96 Conjuga. Lesson 
VOL. XIII. 

97 My Wife's Mirror 

98 Lite In New York 

99 Middy Ashore 

100 Crown Prince 

101 Two Queens 

102 Thumping Legacy 

103 Unfinished «*ntleman 

104 House Dog 
VOL. X!V. 

105 The Demon Lover 

106 Matrimony 

107 In and Out of Place 

108 I Dine with My Mother 

109 Hi-a-wa-tha 

110 Andv Blake 

1 Love* in '76 [ties 

2 Romance under Difficul- 
VOL. XV. 

113 One Coat for l Suite 

114 A Decided Case 

1 1 5 Daughter [no ritv 

116 No; or, the Glorious Mi- 

7 Coroner's Inquisition 

8 Love in Humble Life 
119 Family Jars 

20 Personation 

VOL. XVI. 
121 Children in the Wood 
22 Winning a Husband 

123 Day After the Fair 

124 Maltj Your Willi 

125 Rendezvous 

126 My Wife's Husband 
i ,'7 Monsieur Tonson 

128 Illustrious Stranger 
VOL. XVII. 

129 Mischief-Making [Mi nes 
I (0 A Live Woman in the 

131 The Corsair 

132 Shylock 

133 Spoiled Child 

134 Evil Eye 

135 Vothing to Nurse 

136 Wanted* vVidow < 

VOL. XVIII. 

137 Lottery Ticket 
i38 Fortune's Frolic 

139 Is he Jealous! 

140 Married Bachelor 

141 Husband at Sight 

142 Irishman in London 

143 Ani-na! Magnetism 

144 Highways and By-W ays 

VOL. XIX. 

145 Columbus 

146 Harlequin Bluebeard 

147 Ladies at Home 

148 Phenomenon in a Smock 

Frock 

149 Comedy and Tragedy 

150 Opposite Neighbors 

151 Dutchman's Ghost 

152 Persecuted Dutchman 

VOL. XX. 
'53 Musard Ball 
.54 Great Tragic Revival 
155 High Low Jack A Game 
154 A Gentleman from Ire- 

157 Tom and Jerry [land 

158 Village Lawyer 

169 Captain's not A-miis 
160 Amateurs ano Actors 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

ii it i. iiu i pi i i ■ ; Hi ii t ii i i in. i mi ii 

018 602 485 



XL 

iber 

hu 

jug 



166 Lady 
'.67 Take 



f Bedchamber 
Care of Little 
16S Irish Widow [Charley 
VOL. XXII. 

169 Yankee Peddler 

170 Hiram Hireout 

171 Double-Bedded Room 

172 The Drama Deiended 

173 Vermont Wool Dealer 

174 Ebenezer Venture [ter 

175 Principles from Charac- 

176 Lady of the Lake (Trav) 

VOL. XXIII. 

177 Mad Dogs 

178 Barney the Baron 

179 Swiss Swains 

180 Bachelor's Bedroom 

181 A Roland for an Oliver 

182 More Blunders than One 

183 Dumb Belle 
1>4 Limerick boy 

VOL. XXIV. 
165 Mature and Philosophy 

186 Teddy the Tiler 

187 Spectre Bridegroom 

188 Matteo Falcone 

189 Jenny Lind 

190 Two Buzzard* 

191 Happy M*i 

192 Betsy Baker 
VOL. XXV. 

193 No. 1 Round the Corner 

194 Teddy Roe 

195 Object of Interest 

196 Mv Fellow Clerk 

197 Bengal Tiger 
Laughing Hvena 

199 The Victor Vanquished 

200 Our Wife 
VOL. XXVI. 

My Husband's Mirror 

202 Yankee Land 

203 Norah Creina 

204 Good for Nothing 

205 The First Night 

206 The Eton Boy 

207 Wandering Minstrel 

208 Wanted, 1000 Milliners 
VOL. XXVII. 

209 Poor Pilcoddy 

210 The Mummy [Glasses 

211 Don't Forget your Opera 

212 Love in Livery 
13 Anthony and Cleopatra 

214 Trying It On 

215 Stage Struck Yankee 

216 Young Wife <fc Old Um- 

brella 

vol. xxvni. 

217 Crinoline 

218 A Fat/iily Failing 

219 Adopted' Ch\ Id 

220 Turned Heads 

221 A Match in the Dark 

222 Advice to Husbands 

223 Siamese Twin? 

224 Sent to the Tower 

VOL. XXIX. 
"25 Somebody Hse 
2 6 Ladies' Battle 

227 \rt of Acting 

228 The Ladv of the Lions 
629 The Rights of Man 

230 \Iv Husoand's Ghost 

231 Two Can Play at that 

Game 

232 Fighting bv Proxy 

' VOL. xxx 

233 Unprotected Feniale 

234 Pet of the Petticoats 

235 Forty and Fifty [book 

236 Who Stole the Pocltet- 
■ 37 My Son Diana [sion 

238 Unwarrantable I n t - u - 

239 Mr. -md M-s. White 
A Quiet Family 



(French's Minor Drama Continued on id page of Caver.) 



24b A Lover by Proxy [Pail 

247 Maid with the Milking 

248 Perplexing Predicament 
VOL. XXX11. 

249 Dr. DUworth 

250 Out to Nurse 

251 A Lucky Hit * 
262 The Dowager 

253 Metsmora ( Burlekque) 

254 Dreams of Delusion 
256 The. Shaker Lovers 
266 Ticklish Times 

VOL. XXXIII. 
'57 20 Minutes with a Tiger 
258 Miralda; or, the Justice 
of Tacon 

269 A Soldier's Courtship 

260 Servants by Legacy 

261 Dying for Love 

262 Alarming Sacrifice 

263 Valet de Sham 

264 Nicholas Mckleby 
VOL. XXXIV. 

265 The Last of the Pigtails 

266 King Rene's Daughter 

267 The Grotto Nymph 

268 A Devilish Good Joke 
2b9 A Twice Told Tale 

270 Pas de Fascination 
71 Revolutionary Soldier 

272 A Man Without a Head 
VOL. XXXV. 

273 The Olio, Part 1 

274 The Olio, Part 9 

275 The Olio, Part 3 [ter 

276 The Trumpeter's Daugh- 

277 Seeing Warren 

278 Green Mountain Boy 

279 That Nose 

280 Tom Noddy's Secre* 
VOL. XXXVI. 

281 Shocking Events 

282 A Regular Fir 

283 Dick Turpin 

284 Young Sc imp 

285 Young Actress 

286 Call at No. 1— T 
2*7 One Touch of Nature 

288 Two B'hoys 

vol. xxxvir. 

289 All the World's a Stage 
'J90 Quash, or Nigger Prae- 

291 Turn Him Out [tlee 

292 Pretty Girls of Stlllberg 

293 Angel of the Attic 

294 CrcumstancesalterCases 

295 P>.atty O'Sheal 

296 A Supper in Dixie 
VOL. XXXVIII. 

297 Id n Parle Francals 

298 Who Killed Cock Robin 
W9 Declaration of Independ- 

300 Heads or Tails fence 

301 Obstinate Family 

302 My A„nt 

303 That Rascal Pat 
^04 Don Paddy de Baean 

VOL. XXXIX. [ture 

305 Too Much for Good Na- 

306 Cure for the Fidgets 

307 Jack's the Lad 

308 Much Ado A hout Nothing 
•".09 Artful Dodger 

310 Winning Hazard 

311 Day's Fishing [Ac. 

312 Did you ev- r send your, 
VOL. XL. 

313 An Irishman's Maneuver 

314 Cousin Minnie 

315 'Tis tlie Darkest Hour be- 

31 6 Masquerade [fore Dawn 

317 Crowding the Season 
318fiood Nisrht'sRost 

319 Man with the Carpet, B?> 

320 Terrible Tinker <* 



SAMUEL FRENCH, 28-30 West 38th Street. New York City. 

New and Explicit Descriptive Catalogue Mailed Free on Request. 



